Quantity-Quality Tradeoff in Fertility Planning among Uneducated Couples at Malda District of West Bengal, India

Puspita Datta, Population Services International, India

There is a dearth of researches relating couple’s perception behind fertility planning and aspiration about their child’s educational attainment. It is imperative to know whether the quantity-quality trade-off exists during fertility planning or not, especially among the rural uneducated couples. Using both quantitative and qualitative data, this paper attempts to observe the perception behind child bearing and explored whether fertility decision making is based on the quantity-quality trade-off or not. Findings indicated that rarely rural uneducated couples plan their family size. Aspiration for child’s education is not thought as essential; therefore it is not a motivational factor behind demand for smaller family. Financial problems to provide basic facilities to children compel them to stop having additional children when they already have a large family size. A well-designed program is required for the uneducated rural couples for better fertility planning with perceived need for child’s education.